The Public Library Board Certification program is designed to:
- Improve board effectiveness
- Increase board involvement
- Improve library service
- Fulfill library accreditation requirements
Each Nebraska public library board of trustees must participate,
collectively, in twenty hours of continuing education (CE) during each three-year
certification period.
Library board members can earn CE credits in any of the ways listed on this page.
Report CE participation within ninety days of the event or activity. There
is no cost for certification.
To review certification status -
Nebraska Public Library Board Certification Status
To submit CE activity -
Public
Library Board Report of CE Activity
To apply for certification or update board members -
Public Library
Board Certification and Board Member Updates
Continuing Education Activities for Boards
CE Activities
(online or in-person) |
CE Credits |
Notes |
Requirements |
Webinars
Workshops
Seminars
Lectures
Conferences |
- 20-44 minutes = 0.5
- 45-89 minutes = 1.0
|
|
- Submit CE Form
- List individual sessions for conferences and workshops
separately.
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|
Trustee Academy Courses |
|
- Please see below about login information.
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|
Short Takes for Trustees |
For each board member present during meeting:
- Each video = 0.25
- Discussion = 0.25
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The Trustee Academy comprises a set of webinars from the American Library Association's United for Libraries
(formerly known as ALTAFF).
Admission to the Trustee Academy courses has been prepaid by the Nebraska
Library Commission for Nebraska Library Trustees and Directors. To request an
account, please submit a
United for Libraries Login Request form. If you have any questions, please
contact
Holli Duggan.
Trustee Academy Courses
|
|
Trustee
Competencies |
This course
covers the knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes of a
successful public library Trustee. The course is led by Kevin
Tomlinson, area field consultant with the Idaho Commission for
Libraries.
|
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Working
Effectively with the Library Director |
This course
covers the role of the Board, the role of the library director, and
how to communicate effectively with each other. Learn about
strategic planning, board meetings, an emergency communication plan,
and how to create a sustainable and effective working relationship.
This course is led by Deirdre Brennan, Executive Director, of
Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS).
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The Library's
Budget for Trustees |
This course
covers understanding where funding comes from, working with the
director to develop the budget, ensuring the budget is in alignment
with goals, making the case for the budget to funders, making
effective budget presentations, and monitoring the budget at monthly
meetings. This course is led by Marcellus Turner, City Librarian,
The Seattle Public Library.
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Standing Up for
Intellectual Freedom |
This course
covers intellectual freedom, the core value of librarianship, the
difference between a challenge and a ban, library policy and the
process of reconsideration, the purpose of the Office for
Intellectual Freedom and the Freedom to Read Foundation, and
resources and services offered by the Office for Intellectual
Freedom. This course is led by James (Jamie) LaRue, Director of the
American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom.
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Everyday
Advocacy - Why the Library Matters! |
This course
covers getting to know your funders and letting them know what the
library is doing and importantly – why it matters. Learn how to be a
powerful voice at budget time to ensure your library receives the
funding it needs. This course is led by Libby Post,
Strategist-in-Chief and President of
Communication Services.
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Admission to the Trustee Academy courses has been prepaid by the Nebraska
Library Commission for Nebraska Library Trustees and Directors. To request an
account, please submit a
United for Libraries Login Request form. If you have any questions, please
contact
Holli Duggan.
These ten videos, also from United for Libraries, are intended for continuing education at board meetings. Each program is about
ten minutes long. View the video and discuss the related Short Takes questions for
fifteen minutes.
- What It Means to Be a Trustee
- Board Meetings
- Board Ethics
- Library Advocacy
- Library Policies
- Strategic Planning
- Working with Friends
- Evaluating the Library Director
- Board Self Evaluation
- Succession Planning and New Board Orientation
Login with the
Nebraska username and password you have been given or contact Holli Duggan for your username
and password.
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Pennsylvania Office of Commonwealth Libraries: “Getting On Board"
(0.25 CE credits each)
- Orientation
- Board Basics
- Hiring and Managing Relationships
- Planning and Meetings
- Policies
- PR and Marketing
- Advocacy and Money Matters
- Buildings
Wyoming State Library: “Trustee Trouble"
(0.25 CE credits each)
- Introduction
- Membership
- Orientation
- Meetings
- Board Director Relationships
- Finances
- Policies
- Planning
- Advocacy
- Friends/Foundation Relationship
- Self-Assessment
- Evaluating the Library Board
- Board Responsibilities
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Trustee Tips
(2009)
An NCompass Live session presented by Richard Miller (45:00)
What Nebraska Library Trustees Need to Know: Responsibilities and Obligations
(2009)
Presented in Hastings, NE by Richard Miller (2:20:28)
United for Libraries - Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The
Voice for America's Libraries (2020)
NCompass Live session with Beth Nawalinski, Executive Director of United
for Libraries, Peter Pearson, 2019-2020 United for Libraries President, and
Laura England-Biggs, Keene Memorial Library
Public Librarian and Library Board Certification: Improving Library Service
to Nebraska Communities (2021)
NCompass Live session with Christa Porter and Holli Duggan to discuss how
these programs work, the benefit to library staff and board members, and why
they are important to your library.
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The Nebraska Library Commission has prepaid for all Nebraska public
library directors, members of Friends organizations, Foundation
boards, and trustees to access educational resources offered by the
American Library Association's United for Libraries. To request an
account, please submit a
United for
Libraries Login Request form. If you have any questions, please
contact
Holli Duggan. |
Broadening the Scope of Small/Mid-Sized Library Foundations
(2015)
"To learn more about how working with a library foundation can
benefit your library, listen to this webinar featuring Paula Beswick,
director of the Bozeman (Mont.) Library Foundation."
Library Advocacy at the State Level: 12 Steps to Success (2013)
"Jeffrey Smith, director of public affairs for Humanim and president of the
Foundation for Baltimore County (Md.) Public Library (BCPL) shares the
basics of government/legislative advocacy and 12 steps necessary to be an
effective advocate for library issues when meeting with key decision makers.
Additionally, a case study in successful advocacy for library related
funding is presented."
Working Effectively with Your Library Trustees (2013)
"Led by United for Libraries Executive Director Sally Gardner Reed, learn tips and strategies for working effectively with your Trustees. Topics include orientation for new Trustees, understanding roles, meetings, emergencies, and effective communication."
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Webinars from the Free Webinars list may be viewed at broadcast time, or most
of them are archived and available after the initial broadcast. Webinars are generally about an hour long.
*Discussion of webinars will not be accepted for additional CE credit.
The Short Takes for Trustees videos are the only exceptions.
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FAQ
How do I submit an activity or an event for CE credit?
Submit a CE Activity Report.
Please allow ten business days for credit to
be reflected on the online record. To review your library board's
record, go to Nebraska
Public Library Board Certification Status. Participation in any CE activity must be
reported within 90 days.
Not all activities are eligible for CE credit. If you aren't sure whether
an activity or event would qualify, please contact
Holli Duggan, in advance.
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How do I check the status of my library board?
To review your library board's record, check the
Nebraska Public
Library Board Certification Status page.
Click on your library's name for details on the library board's current CE hours.
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What counts as a continuing education activity?
Activities must meet the following guidelines:
- Organized and planned for the purpose of teaching, learning, or
discussion of topics directly related to the duties and responsibilities
of a library board member
- Sponsored by a reputable agency, organization, or institution
- At least twenty minutes long (exception for the United for
Libraries' Short Takes for Trustees videos)
- Activities may be in-person with the instructor/speaker, via
real-time remote means, or watched as a recorded webinar/video/podcast
Not all activities are eligible for CE credit. If you aren't sure whether
an activity or event would qualify, please contact
Holli Duggan, in advance.
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CE credit for discussion can only be earned after viewing one of the
Short Takes for Trustees videos and discussing the related
Short
Takes discussion questions during a board meeting. Each board member
present will earn 0.25 CE credits per video and an additional 0.25 CE credits
for fifteen minutes of discussion time.
Discussion of other webinars or events will not count for CE credit.
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What activities are not eligible for CE credit for Library Board Members?
- Staff, business, committee, planning, or advisory meetings
- "Secondhand" presentations - presenting or listening to
someonepresent on what they learned at a conference or training
- Social or networking events
- Book discussions, book club meetings, book fairs, or book studies
- Tours of other libraries or museums (including exhibits or special
displays, unless approved)
- Training and orientation of volunteers, new staff, or a new position
- Updating or reading current policies, internal manuals, documents,
emails, or guides
- Routine professional association activities
- Routine job-related activities
- General library programming, such as volunteering for storytimes,
teaching a community computer class, or supervising afterschool clubs
- General work-related training topics, such as stress reduction or
retirement planning
- Training topics not related to duties as a library board member
(such as classroom management or using Google)
- Training on regular library operations, procedures, or general
office equipment (including ILS training)
- Time spent traveling to or from an event
- Reviewing or discussing the Library Board Manual or Director's
Handbook
If you have questions as to whether or not something is eligible for CE
credit, please contact Holli Duggan or Linda Babcock.
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